Food & Drink

The Easiest Grilled Tomato Recipe

Chef Sean Blomgren’s Grilled Tomato Tartine
 Courtesy image

The best of recipes—assuming you’re using high-quality, local ingredients as much as possible—are often the simplest. Such is the case for Stowe Mountain Lodge’s Executive Chef Sean Blomgren’s savory tomato toast.

 

“The best way to enjoy these beautiful fruits is to use techniques that accentuate their natural sweetness,” says Blomgren. “Adding char on the grill caramelizes the sugars and adds an awesome smoky flavor. Layering seasonal ingredients on grilled bread is also a fun way to utilize your fresh produce throughout the year.”

Here, the tomatoes balance out the mellow sweetness of ricotta and tang of blue cheese. You can improvise a bit and throw on scallions, kalamata olives, or whatever else you have extra of in your fridge, but it’s probably best to gently remind yourself: Less is more.

Chef Sean Blomgren’s Grilled Tomato Tartine

Makes 4 servings

Prep time

5 minutes min.

Cook time

10 minutes min.

Ingredients

  • 2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced ½-inch thick
  • 4 thick slices sourdough
  • 1 cup fresh ricotta
  • 4 oz blue cheese
  • 1 bunch basil
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Lemon, to taste

How to make it

Cut tomatoes into slices. Brush bread and tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill bread until slightly charred and crispy.
Grill tomatoes briefly to slightly char.
Spread ricotta evenly onto grilled bread. Top with tomatoes fanned out on bread. Sprinkle with blue cheese. Tear basil into pieces and place on top. Then, drizzle extra virgin olive oil on top and finish with a squeeze of lemon.